Multiple satellite mobile communication method and apparatus for hand-held terminals receiving their signal radiated from a plurality of these satellites

摘要

A novel mobile satellite communications technique for hand-held terminals (18) includes a satellite system (10) having a plurality of individual satellites (16) all in communication with a ground telecommunications hub (12). A signal processed by the ground telecommunications hub (12) is radiated through multiple paths (24) to a plurality of the individual satellites (16) in the satellite constellation (14) simultaneously. The radiated signal is then re-radiated by the plurality of individual satellites (16) to a mobile satellite terminal (18) that receives the re-radiated signal from the plurality of individual satellites (16) simultaneously such that the same frequency spectrum may be re-used by another mobile user.